Etymograph

English

probator

Probator comes from Latin probātor ‘approver’, from Proto-Italic *proβos ‘favourable’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- ‘to be, become, grow, appear’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰuH-1‘to be, become, grow, appear’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*probʰHwós1reconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*proβwos1reconstructed
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*proβos1‘favourable’reconstructed
  5. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*proβāō1‘to approve’reconstructed
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprobō1‘to approve, permit, commend’
  7. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprobātor2‘approver’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1691probator2

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin probator
  2. 2 Wiktionary, English probator
  3. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1691, Henry Maydman, Naval Speculations: “Warranted Officers, that are reckoned ancient experienced Men of…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰuH-Wiktionary, Latin probator‘to be, become, grow, appear’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*probʰHwósWiktionary, Latin probatorreconstructed
  3. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*proβwosWiktionary, Latin probatorreconstructed
  4. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*proβosWiktionary, Latin probator‘favourable’reconstructed
  5. Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*proβāōWiktionary, Latin probator‘to approve’reconstructed
  6. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprobōWiktionary, Latin probator‘to approve, permit, commend’
  7. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEprobātorWiktionary, English probator‘approver’
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1691probatorWiktionary, English probator. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1691, Henry Maydman, Naval Speculations: “Warranted Officers, that are reckoned ancient experienced Men of…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- ‘to be, become, grow, appear’

be, been, power, possible, future, build, present, physical, essential, bond, presence, bush, bound, absence, contribution, physician, entity, booth, absent, distribute, favorable, bun, favourable, contributor, bouquet, fiat, retribution, imp, attribution, rebuke, impotent, impossibility, bower, aren, beamer, bosque, phylogeny, physic, phylum, busk, 81 more

through Proto-Italic *proβos ‘favourable’

probe, probity, 8 more

through Proto-Italic *proβāō ‘to approve’

approve, 14 more

through Latin probō ‘to approve, permit, commend’

improve, prove, proof, approbation, 15 more

Today it means

noun An examiner; an approver.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “probator”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entry for Latin probator. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- / probator

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